Camel Leg Bone

[Tom Militano]

I think I remember seeing camel leg bone for sale and if I remember right it was from an individual, not a knifemaker supply company. Was I having a senior moment or does anyone recall seeing it? Anybody ever used it?

 

[zerogee]

I got some scales from a guy that advertised on Knifeforums.com in the Knifemaking Supplies and Services Forum -- you should be able to search there. It's been about a year since I got them. He had natural and dyed camel bone at the time -- I got the natural. Extremely hard, dense bone -- most of the scales I got have basically no visible pores.

I haven't made anything with them yet, so I cannot address handling properties. I plan to try dying some of them with a potassium permanganate solution.

-- Dwight

 

[Gene Ingram]

Hey Tom. I bought my last from Pop, and like everything else he sells, the price was good.

 

[Wild Rose]

Tom -
I got some scales form Pops Knife Suppy - they had some more at that time. Very dense - will be working with it real soon. Takes leather dye very well.

Dwight, or anybody else, if you use PP for dying be sure to neutralize the chemical reaction after dying - PP is a strong oxidizer and if not neutralized it will keep working and make the bone/antler ratty looking. Use a thin solution of baking soda and water or club soda.

 

[zerogee]

Thanks for the tips on using leather dye and neutralizing PP! I love learning about creating the rich old finishes. Oh, one other thing I've learned in my reading - if using PP *and* leather dye (or whatever dye) - use PP first, then apply the other dyes. PP also acts as a strong bleaching agent (at first).

-- Dwight